How To Fasten Drywall

There will come a time when you will want to tackle an home improvement project yourself rather than hire a carpenter; it may just be that you decide you'd like to try your hand at hanging and fastening drywall. Hanging and fastening drywall is not complicated, but with larger pieces this task will require more then one person.

To fasten drywall you are going to need a drill and drywall screws. The thickness of your drywall will determine the correct size drywall screw to use. If you are fastening 1/2 inch drywall, you will need to use 1 1/4 inch screws, for 5/8 inch drywall, you want to use 1 5/8 inch screws.

To hang and fasten an entire sheet of drywall, you want the length of the drywall to run along the floor.

Line up the edge of the drywall sheet to the center of the wall stud. You now will be placing a screw about 1/2 inch in from the edge of the drywall sheet.

Continue to screw in the screws, spacing them approximately 8 inches apart, until you reach the top. Continue to fasten the drywall sheet to the remaining studs, following the same pattern.

For smaller drywall projects:

If you are repairing a hole in the wall, the first thing you want to do is to cut out a square piece of drywall slightly larger then the damaged area.

Place the square drywall piece over the damaged area. Using a pencil, outline the entire square drywall patch.

Use a utility knife to cut out the outline of square and discard. This will ensure that you have a tight patch fit.

Now you will use two 1x2s about 2 inches larger than the height of the square you just cut out. Tie a long string to the middle of one of the boards, then fasten the other end of the string to the remaining board.

Using liquid nails, place a dab of glue onto each end of one the boards.

To place the board with the liquid nails on it into the wall, you will insert the board diagonally. Placing it directly in the center of the square hole, position the board flush to the wall so the glue will adhere.

Twist the other board, winding the string up until it sits flush with the outside wall, and tack it into place.

Allow to fully dry before attempting to fasten the drywall patch.

Once the board is dry, remove the board on the outside wall and untie the string.

Line your patch up with the square hole and mark with a pencil the position of the board you just glued into the wall.

Insert your drywall patch and, using screws, fasten the patch to the mini stud you glued into the wall.

If you are hanging and fastening drywall onto a ceiling, you will need to make one or two support braces out of a full 2x4, and a short piece of 1x2. By nailing the 1x2 onto the top of the 2x4, you will have a T support brace to hold the drywall in place while you fasten the drywall with screws to the studs. The T brace works great for additional help when you are short handed.